Dear World, a New Year's Letter

Dear World,

You’re so beautiful and so vicious. Please, for the New Year, scream enthusiastically of two things: (1) Kindness and (2) Chutzpah. You know Kindness, World. We all do; we’re the majority. It’s a shame that greed and destruction claim relentless power. It’s outrageous that a loud lunacy has successfully demoted Kindness to something that’s not only invisible but “bad” and “threatening.” You’ve come this far, World. You haven’t simply let evil get past you – not without taking note, standing up to it, fighting against it. Chutzpah. Spunk. Resiliency. These are some of your greatest resources, and they’re in abundance. It’s prime time to proudly use them to their greatest extent. 

People hate the Jews, World, because we’re said to be “chosen.” Yet what we're chosen for, according to scripture and ancient narrative, is to bring peace on earth. We can’t do it alone, never wanted to. We’re only 2% of America, only .2% of You. In fact, Your main religions share this goal. It’s a mission that requires copious amounts of chutzpah. Those of us able to fight full-force this moment, must do so on behalf of those struggling to survive the same moment. Let's nurture ourselves and each other every breath of the journey. We need each other. Time to admit this. Let’s stop fighting over words and egos, World. 

I know that this sometimes overly feisty and otherwise flawed woman has room for improvement. I’ll keep working on it, World. Thanks for the fairly constant loving wisdom in others who've given hugs, guidance, and support. We are, after-all, a family of humankind.

Together, we can and we will work towards a better World, one that will most certainly challenge us with plenty of opportunities for Kindness and Chutzpah. Humor too. Let us never forget the life-sustaining powers of laughter. 

I won’t say “Happy New Year,” World. “Happy” is an unreasonable, arbitrary expectation. I’ll say this: May we best take care of our human family. May we not only be kind to each other. May we find in ourselves, and through unity, the chutzpah needed to rise above and beyond threats to our lives and to all Your beauties. May we make progress towards a better YOU for all of humankind.

With Sincere Hopefulness and Gratitude,

Robyn Alana Engel

To my silly, loyal, kind and spunky readers,
I love you.
Let's do what we do best in 2017: Keep on keeping on by way of kindness and chutzpah.
Smooches and chocolate to you all.
xoRobyn

Santarotica, A Hot Christmas to You

Dear Sillies,

Whatever you celebrate, whether you celebrate, take extra good care of yourselves this holiday season. It's a challenging time, to say the least. May it be an effortless endeavor to appreciate your (non-material) gifts. And save those cookies for special occasions. Wink.  

I love and appreciate you, my loyal readers. You're a wise, spunky, kindhearted bunch.

Finally, Happy Hanukah, Bernie Sanders. I love (and miss) you most of all.
xoRobyn

Donuts, Trump-HRC Debates, Silly Scramble

Dear Sillies,
   This Monday/Tuesday scramble includes a few posts about Scorpio. I'll order them chronologically, so you can read them straight through without getting confused.
  I also present you with a final batch of your silly comments.
  Please stay warm and well. 
  Be gentle with yourself.
  You are loved.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pickleope Von Pickleope I prefer deep fried deep fry. I don't need all the filler, just fry. Crispy, crispy fry. And the ice cream, of course. Mitchell is Moving You should check with Ben Carson and see if they stored matzoh meal along with the grain in those pyramids. fishducky I am about to start a sloth milk only diet. Dixie@dcrelief Robyn, you are one of my favorite sick chicks - oops, maybe # 1 now, (smile).
Connie May the road (or something) rise up to meet you.
Al Penwasser
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Uranus makes me laugh
You too?Optimistic Existentialist Feel the Bern!!!!
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Scorpio joked about doughnuts being necessary, especially the jelly filled; they have Vitamin C. Meanwhile, other little things caused pause. Like when he asked, “What’s for dinner tonight?” I was expected to provide nightly meals? And when he requested not one but two jars of spaghetti sauce --to have leftovers, when I asked if he wanted anything in particular for dinner. And when, the following day, he said "I forgot to take the leftover spaghetti home." As if I’d welcomed him to take it home.

   Day 19:   "I had a good work day, and I’m thinking about you honey," he texted. "I’ll call you by around 6."

   Six o’clock came and went. I’m a stickler about punctuality and reliability. If a man’s not good for his word, I go into crazy-angry-fierce-How-dare-you? mode. I’m working on it, though. So by the time 6:20 rolled around, I decided to exercise.

   "Sorry honey, I was watching the debates," he messaged at 6:40pm.

   "I’m going to gym. Will call you by 8pm."

   As I jogged on the treadmill, my pace quickened to a run, beams of sweat dripped down my face, and then damn him! He’d rather watch Trump and Hillary than be with me!? WTF! We’re doomed! 
   At home, I washed up and purposely let 8pm pass. In part, I was very consciously being passive aggressive. To my credit, though, I wanted to calm down before talking to him.

   A knock at the door. There he was, handsome as always, concerned. "You didn’t call me. What’s wrong?" He stepped in and saw that I'd been crying, "Do you not want to see me?"

   "No, I do. I’m just upset."

   He handled it well, was calm and reassuring. "I’m just not used to answering to someone," he said. "I’m sorry. I just spaced out."

   I explained why basic follow-through and punctuality matter to me. "Am I asking too much?" My question, sincere.
   He remained calm. "No."
 to be continued (below). 

Reasons for Celibacy 393-97, Scorpio Day 20

Dears,
I've five final reasons for celibacy this year. Next, the Scorpio saga continues.
I hope the holiday season finds you safe, warm, and with loved ones.
Take good care.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taken directly from on-line personal ads, here are reasons #393-97 for a smart, straight gal to remain celibate. And I'll take this opportunity to point out that Celibacy and Suburbia provides 250 rather interesting reasons. It's short, easy, and covered in chocolate - like the author. Wink.
bold font=actual ads. italics=my actual (versus fake) snark. Enjoy, friends.

~~~~~~

REASON #393: Am anice hard working respectfully man thats looking fo his nice lady wich is hard to find..

I can’t imagine why.

REASON #394: hi in just a regular guy nothing fancy.looking for a girl who takes care of herself and me. Keeps a nice home. can drink and party once in a while.in loyal and expect my girl to be the same.all I need is one good one....are you good enough?

hi in fancy in loyal cant drink once in a while not good regular enough.

REASON #395: If you want to play games get an Xbox!  

Dude, what do you have against Scrabble?

REASON #396: Intelegence is sexy.

That’s why you’re not, sweetie.

REASON #397: I do enjoy a good convo n also knoe how to keep one dont let the look decive u im a real awsome n out going person but thats on u if ur wilking to give urself that chance to get to knoe me !!!

Knoe thank you, I ain’t wilking!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~back to me and Scorpio
Day 20:
   Scorpio dropped by at 9pm as planned. "Good to see you, come on in." He looked a bit uneasy. "We can stay in if you want, hon," I told him. "But I thought it’d be fun to hear music at the 1078 Gallery. A couple of my friends are performing. D'you wanna go? We don't have to stay late."
   "No, well um," he mumbled and floundered, "Maybe you should just do your own thing on weekends."
   "What are you talking about?"
   "This is all about you." He started pacing around my living room. "You wouldn’t help me clean up my trailer or—"
   Utterly baffled, I sunk into my couch. "What are you talking about? You NEVER asked me to help clean your trailer. I’d be happy to. I'm always good for things like that."
   He turned away from me, confused, lethargic, or something. "You're you're holding me back."
   Whoa! "I’m holding you back!?" I stormed through the kitchen and opened my side door. I then rushed through the living room to open my front door. "Leave! If you think I’m holding you back, leave! I'm not forcing you to be with me."
   Scorpio sat on the loveseat and continued. "You’re a hypocrite. You get all crying and upset when I didn’t call you, and then you didn’t even call me by 8. Maybe you’re not ready for a relationship."
   I felt blood rush through my veins. "Look, I admitted that I was being passive-aggressive. I didn't want to scare you away. This isn't fair. Maybe YOU'RE not ready for a relationship. The doors are open." I pointed, one by one, to each door. "You're welcome to leave."
   He kept at it. "You told me you had a doughnut the other day. You’re a hypocrite."
   "Are you kidding me? You started joking about that stuff. We both did. I want us to live a long and healthy life together. What’s wrong with that?"

   After a while of tense, confused silence, Scorpio opened his arms. "Come here," he said. "I’m sorry I said all those things. I need to think about what I say before I say it. And never mind about the doughnut stuff. That was silly...You’re beautiful. I’m sorry."
   I approached Scorpio, leaned into his chest, and wanted to believe everything would be fine.

to be continued yet again.